Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Healthy ageing: Assessment of health‑promoting lifestyle among the elderly population in Karachi Pakistan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Saima Zainab
. Aneeta Khoso
. Maryam Siddiqui 1
. Kiran Ashraf 1
. Muhammad Anees Mumtaz 2
. Manahil Awan 1

1 Department of Community Medicine Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan

2 Department of Medicine Basic Health Unit, Ahmad Naich Institute, Bahawalpur District Health Authority, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The growth in the elderly population is predicted to expand exponentially and
developing countries like Pakistan have about two‑third of the global elderly population. It is vital to
maintain the health of the elderly aged population to reduce disabilities and health‑care cost.
AIM: This study aimed to determine the health promotion practices among the older aged population
in Pakistan and to explore the factors associate with adopting healthy lifestyle practices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross‑sectional study spanning from 2019 to 2020
conducted on 317 participants of age more than 60 years in Pakistan. The participants included
healthy attendants of patients visiting the outpatient clinics of different disciplines in the Liaquat
National Hospital Karachi through purposive sampling technique. The health‑promoting practices
were assessed using Health‑Promoting Lifestyle Profile II Questionnaire. The factors that determined
the healthy practices among the elderly population were identified using independent t‑test and
analysis of variance and Tukey test, with a significance level of P < 0.05. IBM SPSS Statistics 22
was used for data entry and analysis.
RESULTS: The highest subscale was detected from interpersonal relationships and spiritual growth.
The lowest score was detected from physical activity. The scores differed significantly by occupation,
education, and the marital status of the participants. Females, unmarried people, those who were
less educated, and participants relying on others for financial support had lower health‑promoting
lifestyle scores.
CONCLUSION: The overall health‑promoting practices were good among the old‑aged population of
Pakistan. These practices differed particularly for physical activity, spiritual growth, and interpersonal
relationships.

Keywords

Developing countries
health‑promoting practices
healthy aging
old‑age population
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 11, Issue 9
October 2021
Pages 1-7

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